Key WA road plans fall with Labor
Transport Minister Troy Buswell admits two key country road projects - upgrades to the North West Coastal Highway and Great Northern Highway - will not go ahead without substantial funds from the Abbott Government.
Road funding was a flashpoint in the Federal election's final days after the coalition's Budget costings included abolishing the infrastructure fund linked to the carbon tax, including Labor's commitment to WA projects.
Mr Buswell's Budget last month assumed 80 per cent of the cost - $385 million for the Great Northern Highway and $217 million for the North West Coastal Highway - would come from Canberra with the work to begin in 2014-15.
To Opposition questions last week, Mr Buswell said he would seek clarification of Federal road funding for WA from the coalition once a transport minister - likely to be Nationals leader Warren Truss - was sworn in.
Mr Buswell said it was a huge issue for regional WA but if the Commonwealth stepped away from those projects it was highly likely "the projects will cease". That's a big problem," he said.
In another development, the Environmental Protection Authority has recommended conditional approval for a contentious plan to extend Roe Highway 5km from Kwinana Freeway through wetlands to Stock Road.
Roe 8, expected to cost at least $630 million, is unfunded after the State Government removed it from the Budget in May.
